


Chiaroscuro

by PuzzleDragon



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-10 02:29:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7826722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuzzleDragon/pseuds/PuzzleDragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Vaxleth drabbles mostly based off of tumblr prompts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Life-Mate

**Author's Note:**

> toomanyorigamidragons on tumblr prompted: "Vax and Kiki: meet the parents (don't care who meet whose.)" (This was written as part of a three sentence fic challenge, which explains why it is so incredibly short.)

"Oh, Keyleth, my little fawn," the older, auburn-haired woman exclaims as she embraces her daughter before releasing her to look at the ragtag group of adventurers gathered around them.

"Thank you all for protecting my daughter on her Aramente," she says, nodding to each member of the assembled party before her eyes land on the dark-haired rogue who’s smiling at Keyleth like she’s the most precious flower he’s ever seen and who has already placed his hand on the young woman’s shoulder to steady her.

“And congratulations to you, little fawn. You seem to have chosen your life-mate well. He is quite handsome,” her mother adds, smiling knowingly at the pair of blushing half-elves as they both rush to deny her claim in perfect unison.


	2. Affirmation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> geekywanderlust on tumblr prompted: "Vaxleth - meeting in secret" (This was originally written shortly after the Briarwoods arc and was meant to be set during Vox Machina's journey to meet the Water Ashari shortly after that arc, but that no longer fits into the canon timeline of the show because, ya know, dragons. So, make of this what you will.)

“What are you doing in my tent?“ Keyleth asks, flustered and incredulous as she looks up from her spell book to see Vax.

"I’m sorry for the intrusion, but I only have about five minutes before someone notices I’m gone and my sister comes to yell at me. I just needed to talk to you in private for a moment." 

He sits down cross-legged in front of her as she asks, "What did you want to talk to me about?”

“After everything that’s happened,” he begins, looking down at the ground instead of at her, “I just want you to know that - no matter what - I’m here if you need anything.”

“Anything?” She blushes slightly.

“Anything.” He nods, looking up to meet her eyes. “I know things have been awkward between us since Whitestone, but I’m here for you and will help you in anyway I can during your trial tomorrow.”

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.” She pauses, considering her next few words carefully before smiling. “I’ll keep _everything_ in mind.”

He seems to understand her meaning, because he smiles in return.

“And I’ll wait,” he responds before slipping out of her tent and back into the night.


	3. Gifts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> geekywanderlust on tumblr prompted: "Vaxleth - giving Winters Crest Gifts" (Set just after "Winter's Crest in Whitestone.")

Keyleth finds it in her room the night after the festival ends.

A small piece of wood rests on her pillow with a sheet of parchment next to it.

She reads the note first:

_Kiki,_  
I’ve had a lot of time to think during these past few weeks and come to terms with everything. I discovered carving helps me clear my thoughts after all the mind control and manipulation. I know it’s not much, but I thought you’d like this one. Happy Winter’s Crest.  
\- Vax   
P.S. I promise I didn’t cut down any trees. I found some broken timbers and branches around town. This town’s lost enough. No need for it to lose another bit of nature.

She examines the carving to find that it’s a surprisingly intricate image of a delicate rose bloom. She runs her hands over each petal, noticing just how much effort and attention to detail went into making it. She smiles to herself, folding up the parchment and placing both it and the carving on her bedside table.

The next night, Vax finds a pink rose lying on his pillow with a note written in sweeping script that simply reads: _Thank you. It only seemed fitting to repay one handmade flower with another. - K_

He knows better than to read too much into it, but he still falls asleep smiling for the first time in weeks.


	4. Flirting With Danger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous prompted: "Vaxleth prompt: Keyleth learns to use a dagger" (Set it some vague established relationship future.)

She’s fairly sure that this is not the proper way to teach anyone how to use a new weapon. She’s not complaining, just observing.

Because having Vax wrapped around her, guiding her hands on the dagger and directing her aim, is deliciously distracting. His fingers intertwine with hers around the hilt of the dagger and he adjusts her stance by shifting his own foot against hers. 

He leans into her, and whispers in her ear, “Alright, now just focus on your target… aim… and flick your wrist.”

The dagger flies from her hand and barely misses the target Vax has set up.

Vax laughs, but doesn’t release her, instead murmuring, “You’re not focusing on this, are you?”

“No,” Keyleth admits, turning around in his arms to face him, “I’m really not.”

She wants to learn, she really does, but she also just wants to kiss him right there in the middle of the practice field. So she does, and Vax - incredibly focused and professional instructor that he is - doesn’t even try to stop her.


	5. Our Kind of Normal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous prompted: "Vaxleth, first date" (Written before "Omens" premiered, so set in a vague future AU where the Conclave didn't happen.)

“Do you want to … go out sometime? Maybe?” Vax asks one night as they’re sitting together by the fire in Greyskull Keep.

“Go out? Out where?” Keyleth asks in response, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I don’t know. Dinner? A play? Just a nice night in the city sometime.”

“Are you finally trying to court me properly?” she laughs.

“Would that be so wrong?”

“Of course not,” she reassures, intertwining her hand with his, “It’s just… we’ve never been a very traditional couple. I don’t want to force you to…”

“To what?”

“I don’t know… To be out in the open with whatever it is we are… To be _normal_.”

“Maybe I want to be normal. Maybe I want to get dressed up and take you out and make you feel special. Maybe I want to spend one night away from our well-meaning but often annoying friends. Maybe I want to be out in the open so I can show the world how amazing you are.”

“Alright,” Keyleth blushes behind the curtain of her hair, “But nothing _too_  fancy.”

A week later, Keyleth dons a dress and Vax changes cloaks, and they step out into Emon together for a night of dinner, a play, and a walk in the park. Not even the teasing remarks the rest of their party shouts from the gates of the Keep can ruin their night.


	6. Familial Strife

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous prompted: "Vaxleth, meeting the family." (Written before we met Syldor, so not quite canon anymore. I wrote the twinsies' dad a bit more aggressive than he actually turned out to be.)

“So you’ve finally grown out of flirting with kitchen boys?” the raven-haired man asks in Elvish, looking disdainfully at the hand of his son entwined with that of the young redhead.

Only the twins and the druid - and Percy, who remains silent and gives no visible hint of comprehension - understand his words, but the entire group can sense the acidity of the comment as the tension steadily grows thick between father and son.

“Instead you’ve found a dirty, tree-hugging half-breed to waste your time with,” the elven ambassador adds, a mocking smile spreading across his face, “I’m not quite sure it’s an improvement.”

The rest of Vox Machina starts as Vax lunges forward to grab his father by the shirt, hauling the older man off his feet in his rage.

“Don’t you _dare_ talk about her like that,” Vax hisses in Common, “ _Ever again_.”

Even the elf seems slightly surprised by this outburst, but in a moment he recovers and shakes his head.

“Why should I care who a bastard son sleeps with?” he spits, still in perfect Elvish, “Keep your little nature whore. You’re perfect for each other: neither one belongs in this civilized court.”

Keyleth, understanding every insult hurled in her direction but showing no sign of anger, gently places her hand on Vax’s shoulder to calm him. He releases his father, pushing him away. The ambassador turns, a smug smile still plastered on his face, and glides out of the room, leaving the remaining adventurers to watch in confusion as Keyleth tells Vax to breathe and let go of his anger, while Vex stands by, clenching her fists and glaring at her father’s receding back.


	7. After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set directly after the end of "Umbrasyl," so spoilers for that episode.

After stripping the dragon of everything useful and washing the blood from her skin, Keyleth spends the night in Vax’s room.

They’re both safe and they’re both alive and they’re both finally the right sizes, so she crawls into bed next to him like it’s something she does all the time. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Because right now, after everything, it is.

They wrap their arms around each other, and she strokes his hair while his fingers trail up and down her spine. Every touch is a tiny comfort that whispers, “I’m glad you’re not dead. I’m glad you survived. I’m glad I survived with you.”

For once, Vax doesn’t dream of the Raven Queen. He doesn’t dream of anything. He sleeps peacefully in her arms, without fear or worry. He hears her heartbeat in the silent darkness, and everything else seems to disappear. She’s all he needs to anchor him right now. The world will still be burning down around them tomorrow, so for tonight he can hold her and think of nothing but the smell of her hair and the touch of her skin.

Keyleth forgets to be scared, forgets to be unsure. Even after the adrenaline’s worn off and she’s had time to think about what it would have meant to lose him, she’s still so certain. Not of where they’re going or what it all means in the long run. But of them right here and now. She feels safe for the first time in days, and she will revel in it - wholly and selfishly - until the sun rises and they have to return to being self-sacrificing heroes.

She’ll make sure to kiss him tomorrow, when she has the time and energy to do it properly. But for tonight, they’ll press lazy kisses to every inch of exposed skin and fall sleep in each other’s arms - alive, safe, and content for the first time in what feels like eons.


End file.
